Week of Septeber 9, 1999
Week of September 9, 1999
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POLITICS: Kuomintang Chooses Presidential Candidate for 2000 Election
SUMMARY:Last week the Kuomintang, currently the ruling party on Taiwan, formally
endorsed present Vice President Lien Chan as their presidential candidate
for the 2000 election. His running mate is current Premier Vincent Siew. At
least one other senior Kuomintang member, who was not chosen as a candidate,
will run independently. James Soong, who had high approval ratings when he
was Governor, is expected to pull quite a few voters away from the KMT. The
KMT recently incorporated Li Teng-hui’s ‘state-to-state?relations clause
into its party charter, by means of which it aims to establish an equal position
in negotiations with the PRC. The other three contending parties (the Democratic
Progressive Party, the Chinese New Party and the Taiwan Independence Party)
have not yet endorsed official presidential candidates.
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US-CHINA RELATIONS: Admiral Prueher Approved by China as New Ambassador
SUMMARY:China said it had approved the US nomination of Admiral Joseph Prueher
of Pacific Command as the new Ambassador to Beijing. Admiral Prueher will
replace Ambassador James Sassar, who returned to the States in July after
the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia. He will work for Vice President
Al Gore’s Presidential Campaign. Previously, Admiral Prueher had been annouced
by the US as the new Ambassador, but was not approved by the Chinese.
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SOCIETY: China Prepares for the 50th Anniversary of the PRC
SUMMARY:In addition to a parade around Tiananmen Square, Chinese plans for
the October 1 anniversary celebration include heightened security for a radius
of 4 miles around central Beijing beginning lasting from noon, Sept 30 until
after midnight on October 1. Security measures include a ban on the use of
cooking gas and the dispersal of snipers on rooftops during the morning parade.
Most buildings along the Chang An Road parade route will be closed and emptied.
These elaborate security precautions have frustrated central Beijing businesses,
many of which have decided to shut down entirely for the anniversary. Chinese
security forces have been on the lookout for disruptive forces across the
county on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic.
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US-CHINA RELATIONS: Clinton and Jiang to meet Saturday in New Zealand
SUMMARY:Chinese president Jiang Zeming and
President Clinton will meet at the annual APEC summit, held this year in Aukland,
New Zealand, on Saturday. Among other topics, their meeting will certainly
include discussion on China’s entrance into the WTO and the US position on
Taiwan, the two most sensitive topics in US-China relations in recent weeks.
China has just re-entered negotiations over entry into the WTO, suspended
since the May 8 bombing of the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia. Jiang is expected
to seek reassurance that the US does not support Taiwanese independence, although
Clinton has been under some pressure to urge China’s leaders to renounce the
use of force against Taiwan. The KMT, Taiwan’s ruling party, recently incorporated
into their party charter a theory of ‘state to state?relations, demonstrating
their belief that China and Taiwan should be negotiating from equal positions.
China has condemned this action, and warned Taiwan not to consider holding
a referendum on independence.
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The U.S. and China This Week
uscpf@uscpf.org
Last updated: September 16, 1999
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